Sites of Historical Interest in Dromana
On this page:
Pioneer Pathway
On the East side of the Old Shire Offices in Nepean Road Dromana, the Society has created a Pioneer Pathway, commemorating those pioneer families who arrived in the district prior to 1875. Some 32 family names are shown.
La Trobe Reserve
SHIRE OF FLINDERS
LA TROBE RESERVE
THIS RESERVE WAS NAMED
ON 6TH DECEMBER 1975 BY
THE HON. R.J. HAMER E.D. M.P.
PREMIER OF VICTORIA
TO HONOUR
CHARLES JOSEPH LA TROBE.
FIRST LT GOVERNOR OF VICTORIA
ON THE OCCASION OF
THE CENTENARY OF HIS DEATH
La Trobe Reserve lies between La Trobe Parade and Point Nepean Road Dromana with the Easterly extremity at Foote Street.
It was created in memory of Charles Joseph La Trobe the first Lt. Governor of Victoria.
The plaque to the right is located at the east end of the reserve in the vicinity of a place known as Dromana Springs, a source of water. Historical photographs show a horse trough beside Point Nepean Road at this point.
At the western end of La Trobe Reserve is a pathway which follows the foreshore edge of the park and climbs to La Trobe Parade,on the eastern side of Anthonys Nose. There are two plaques - one on a seat at a viewpoint and another commemorating the opening of the path on a boulder at the top.
The first plaque is located on a seat in the middle of the ascent.
CONSTRUCTED WITH THE
GENEROUS DONATION
FROM THE
SOUTHERN PENINSULA
COMMUNITY FUND
2001
The second plaque is located on a boulder at the top of the ascent.
LaTrobe Scenic Walkway and Link
Federation Project 2001
Officially Opened by
Mrs Dorothy Houghton M.B.E.
1st December 2001
(Dromana Logo)
Where the Mountain
Meets the Sea
(Federation Logo)
1901 - 2001
Federation Fund Project
Old Shire Office Dromana
THIS STONE WAS LAID BY
JOHN JACK Esq.
PRESIDENT FLINDERS SHIRE
ON FEBRUARY 29TH 1928
The Flinders Shire Office located at 359A Nepean Road Dromana, was formally opened on 29 February 1928 (plaque at right) and for approximately 50 years was the administrative centre of the Shire of Flinders.
The original council table and chairs are on display in the Historical Museum which at present occupies part of the building.
When the new council chambers were built in Boneo Road, Rosebud, the building remained unused for a time until it was renovated in 1989, and it is now used to house the Historical Museum of the Dromana and District Historical Society Inc.,
the Nepean Workshop of Arts and Crafts Inc. and the U3A. It is also used by other groups as a meeting place.
Following the renovation, a plaque commemorating the restoration was placed on the North wall on the West side of the main entrance (below left), and was unveiled on 11 March 1989 by the Shire President.
The original foundation stone is located in the North Wall of the Old Flinders Shire Office (below right) on the East side of the main entrance
"OLD SHIRE OFFICE"
THIS BUILDING WAS RE-OPENED FOR
COMMUNITY USE ON THE 11TH MARCH 1989 BY
SHIRE PRESIDENT MR. ROB REILLY.
REFURBISHMENT OF THIS BUILDING WAS ACHIEVED
WITH THE SUPPORT OF
THE ROTARY & LIONS CLUBS OF DROMANA,
SHIRE OF FLINDERS & MINISTRY OF ARTS.
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Dromana School Boatshed
A boatshed was provided by parents in 1929 for use of students of the Dromana School No 184. The plaque reads as follows:
ERECTED
JUNE 1929
BY COMMITTEE OF
DROMANA SCHOOL
184
Dromana Foreshore
A recreation area with several plaques is situated on the Dromana foreshore near the pier. A Year of the Volunteer plaque is situated near the SW corner. This area is known as the George A. Bishop Reserve. A drinking fountain has been presented by the Rotary Club.
The following plaques can be found on the Dromana Foreshore recreation area by the pier.
DROMANA
LIONS PROJECT
THIS AREA HAS BEEN DEVELOPED AS
A JOINT PROJECT BY THE SHIRE OF
FLINDERS AND THE LIONS CLUB
OF DROMANA AND WAS OFFICIALLY OPENED
ON SUNDAY 26TH NOVEMBER, 1967 BY
CR. P. W. STYNES, J.P. SHIRE PRESIDENT
Drinking Fountain
Presented by
The Rotary Club
of Dromana
February, 1973
"Service above self"
SHIRE OF FLINDERS
THIS RESERVE WAS NAMED
THE
GEORGE A. BISHOP RESERVE
ON NOVEMBER 15TH 1972
BY THE SHIRE PRESIDENT
CR. K. J. SPUNNER
IN RECOGNITION OF
SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY BY
GEORGE ARTHUR BISHOP
AS A COUNCILLOR OF THE SHIRE OF FLINDERS
FROM 1958 TO 1969
AND AS A CITIZEN OF DROMANA SINCE 1939
In the Year of the Volunteer 2001
This memorial is to commemorate
The contribution of
Mr. James (Jim) Frederick Smith
20.8.1921 to 15.12.2000
for 18 years unstinting service
as Father Christmas to the children of
the Mornington Peninsula.
A man loved and respected by both
family and community.
The Children in Heaven need a Father Christmas too
Dromana Hotel
An early plaque in Dromana is that on the Dromana Hotel at the eastern end of the town.
This plaque is located on the Point Nepean Road frontage of the Dromana Hotel
THIS FOUNDATION STONE
WAS LAID BY
Mrs L. CARRIGG
10.10.(19)26
THIS DROMANA GRANITE WAS DRESSED
AT THE LOCAL QUARRIES
Chapman's Forge
On the corner of Pier Street and Gibson Street is a boulder with plaques commemorating Chapman's Forge, which was situated there 100 years ago.
SITE
OF
CHAPMAN'S SHOEING FORGE
C.1879 - 1940
AND HOME OF PIONEER SETTLERS
HENRY GEORGE AND
ISABELLA CHAPMAN N�E GIBSON
2000 PROJECT
DROMANA AND DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC.
The second plaque provides further detail and a picture of the forge:
Jetty Store
The Jetty Store site was at the corner of Pier Street and Point Nepean Road. The photograph at right shows the first Jetty Store, which was built on this site in about 1871.
The store was gradually extended and a residence was built at the rear using bricks hand made locally at Karadoc, a property in Dromana owned by the Rudduck family.
The building on the site today was built in 1981 and includes bricks salvaged from the original residence.
In 2002 a plaque was unveiled by Dromana and District Historical Society Inc. commemorating the Jetty Store. It is located on the north wall of the National Bank facing Point Nepean Road. A photograph of the store taken circa 1920 is also displayed there.
Back to TopDromana Guest Houses
On 5 August 2003 two plaques were unveiled at the Dromana shopping centre commemorating the guest houses 'Milparinka' and 'Belmont' which once stood there. These are located on the pillars at the carpark entrance facing Point Nepean Road.
Milparinka Guesthouse
This wooden building was converted from a house by the STENNIKEN family to accommodate ten guests. After World War II it was the home of the ROSS family. The site is now part of the supermarket area.
Dromana & District Historical Society 2003.
Belmont Guesthouse
Built by JAMES CHAPMAN in the 1890's, Belmont guesthouse was run as a family business until the 1950's. Originally a single storey building, a second storey was added by the Howard family. The guesthouse accommodated 50 guests and the site is now part of the supermarket area.
Dromana & District Historical Society 2003.
